PO966 - Concepts and Theories of International Security

Module content and teaching

Principal aims

The aims of the module are: *To provide an overview of debates regarding security in international relations; *To offer a thorough grounding in different theoretical approaches to the study and practice of security in international relations; *To provide an outline of different images of security in international relations that have affected contemporary security practices; *To enable students to engage the theoretical and conceptual frameworks developed in this module in relation to particular empirical security issues/ cases in international relations.

Principal learning outcomes

To understand the significance of examining fundamental questions of security in international relations: whose security (referent); who provides security; from what threats; and by what means?; To examine the implications of debates about security theory for contemporary security practices in international relations; To evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the various theoretical approaches to security introduced in the module; To evaluate the impact as well as strengths and weaknesses of the images of security introduced in the module; To enable students to analyse critically complex ideas, both orally and in writing, in relation to issues influencing contemporary debates about security; To encourage students to develop the ability to work both independently and as part of group; To allow students to develop library and IT-based research skills through independent research and preparation for class.